Funding boost for Exeter homes projects
Published: 10 June 2021
Exeter is set to benefit from more than a million pounds of government funding for three major projects.
Exeter’s allocation is part of more than £2.3 million of Government funding that has been awarded to a partnership of Councils in Devon to deliver local regeneration schemes and economic recovery.
In Exeter the funding will go towards providing 134 new Passivhaus, low carbon resilient homes at sites in Clifton Hill and Vaughan Road. Money has also been awarded to the Marsh Barton Delivery Framework to look at how this part of the city can be redeveloped to deliver a new mixed use city quarter.
Across the county, the Devon and Torbay One Public Estate Partnership (Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, Torbay Council and Torridge District Council) received £330,000 of One Public Estate (OPE) funding and £2,017,568 from the Land Release Fund.
The OPE programme aims to support councils to deliver initiatives which create economic growth through unlocking land for new homes and jobs; providing new opportunities to save on running costs or generating income funding; or transforming services.
The Marsh Barton Delivery Framework received £150,000 for feasibility studies, masterplanning and the development of a delivery framework. The work will consider how to unlock the redevelopment of this part of the city to deliver a new mixed-use city quarter. Redeveloping Marsh Barton in this way will contribute to the success and realisation of the Liveable Exeter programme as well as helping the city achieve its 2040 Vision and Net Zero ambitions.
The Land Release Fund supports small-scale infrastructure works to improve quality of life and to overcome barriers which would otherwise make land unusable for development. Land Release Funding has been awarded to:
In Exeter the projects to benefit from LRF funding are:
Clifton Hill, Exeter, which will receive £425,000 for demolition and enabling works. The site will be redeveloped by Exeter City Living (Exeter City Council’s wholly owned development company) to provide 42 new “Passivhaus”, low carbon, climate resilient homes as part of the Council’s 2040 Vision with a focus on “placemaking” – which moulds the places where people live, into neighbourhoods. The development, which has been designed in accordance with Building Biology Principles, has been awarded a Building with Nature Design Award, and is targeted to start on site early next year.
Vaughan Road, Exeter, which has been awarded just over £795,000 for demolition, site clearance and enabling works. The site will be redeveloped by Exeter City Living to provide 92 new Passivhaus, low carbon, climate resilient apartments of which 60 will be Affordable for the Councils own Housing Revenue Account. This site is again designed in accordance with Building Biology Principles and is also part of the Council’s 2040 Vision with focus on placemaking. The project is scheduled to start on site later this year.
Councillor Laura Wright, Deputy Leader of Exeter City Council said: “This is more great news for Exeter, with both funding for the progression of the Liveable Exeter programme and Land Release funding which will help us to progress our plans for much-needed housing.”
Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, said: “There was high demand for both of these funding pots so I’m pleased that these projects have made successful bids to help deliver the objectives of the programmes. It demonstrates what we can achieve in the county through working closely with our partner authorities.”